


Nibel Gossip

by Gothams_Only_Wolf



Series: That's Just Life [6]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Auto-Immune Disease Geostigma, Final Fantasy VII Rare Pair Week, Gossip, M/M, Planet Scar Syndrome | Geostigma, Single Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-18
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2019-03-20 16:39:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13721754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gothams_Only_Wolf/pseuds/Gothams_Only_Wolf
Summary: Cloud really needs to hang out more with Tifa.Day 3 of FFVII Rarepair Week: "You're dating/friends with /who/??"





	Nibel Gossip

**Author's Note:**

> Ehehe, I had fun with this one. 
> 
> A few things; 
> 
> This is an alternate universe where ShinRa has competition and where mostly everything is the same minus the trauma of the OG!series.
> 
> Geostigma is an autoimmune disease that affects 2 out of 5 people; it runs in biological families.
> 
> Cloud is raising his son and his half-brothers (the Remnants) from his father's side.
> 
> Most of AVALANCHE will show up in some capacity or other throughout both the prompt and the series as a whole. You don't need to read all of them to get the general picture but they are all connected.
> 
> Please enjoy and let me know what you think!

* * *

Tifa so rarely meets up with Cloud, busy as she is running her dream bar, that when he shows up with fewer than three bandages for his 'Stigma she's very surprised. 

«On a new treatment?» She slips into Nibel as she hands his usual of pressed coffee and hooks her elbow with his to lead him to a table. 

«New treatment, new project and, uh, new boyfriend.» He responds as he sits next to her, both of them tangling their legs out of habit. «How's Rude? Still being all handsome and lingering after the bar closes?»

She's his oldest friend; she knows everything there is to know about Cloud and then some. 

«Actually,» Tifa pulls her phone out of her pocket and shows the screen. «he's my partner. He carries the lager barrels so nicely, hmm?» Cloud hums in agreement and only moves his head to accommodate Tifa when she leans on him. «So, who's the latest boy toy? Is he even real?»

«Odin's oath, Tifa, he's not a boy toy! Of course he's real.» Cloud nearly sprays his coffee but manages to swallow at the last second, his indignant tone making her laugh. «Aerith, Zack and Den all approve, by the way, and the boys have adopted his daughter into the Highwind-Strife clan.» 

«That is unusual. The boys don't normally like you dating. What's so different about him?»

«One, he's a Dad himself, two, Den and the boys adore him because he lifts them with one arm and isn't too picky about movie night and—» 

«I thought boy toys weren't allowed at movie night anymore.» Tifa, of course, remembers the last one; Siefer had been summarily removed from Cloud's life, not only by a livid Cloud himself but a good chunk of his friends after the stunt he'd pulled on movie night. «Alright, I gotta see a pic of this guy, Cloud.» 

Cloud taps through his password, which Tifa already knows, and then scrolls through his photos to show her Barret and Marlene and all four of the boys with foam swords and Fantasy Seven on the TV. 

«He's wonderful, Tifa. He takes me out on these really nice dates and meets me at the rink on Wednesdays and hangs out with Zack without having to be convinced and—Teef?» 

«Cloud, do you even _know_ who it is you're dating?!?» she hisses lowly. 

«Barret, obviously.» He doesn't get why she's close to launching the table with a kick. «Zack had Angeal do a background—»

«I love you but you're about as dense as a pool of Mako sometimes, Choco-brain. That's the _CEO of Wallace Solari Company_ , ShinRa's biggest competition and the reason Midgar's as up and coming as it is!»

Oh. 

«Barret has meetings with them on Wednesdays.» Cloud shrugs and Tifa facepalms. 

«He's the second richest person on all of Gaia.» 

«Really?» 

Tifa groans and types in Barret's name in the Moogle.net search bar. «Yes, really.»

Cloud blinks, looks at Barret in a slick burgundy suit debating with old man ShinRa in a news article before it clicks. «Oh Holy Bahamut.» 

« _Finally_.» Tifa throws her hands into the air but she's careful not to hit Cloud. «Well, you always did have decent taste in men before that disaster. Is he taking care of you?» 

«Umm, yeah, actually. He's been clocking my doctors appointments and taking me to them so that I don't forget.» Cloud fiddles with his coffee mug, fingers tapping against the ceramic as he talks. «He's so gentle with Den and I, y'know, when we've got sores. He takes the boys to school with Marlene and Den and he's, Tifa, he's so good.» 

«I've never heard you talk this much about any of your partners before Cloud.» Tifa offers. «You think he's it?»

«It? You mean...?» 

Marriage. He'd never considered it after what had happened to his Mutti but... 

«Cloud, you're not a man of words really. If someone wants your heart, they act on it and it looks like he won himself a space without even trying. Have you two talked about love yet?» Tifa's gentle about it but he's still floored. 

Cloud doesn't care about the money, couldn't care less, actually; it only emphasizes who you really are in the long run and Barret's been nothing but wonderful. 

Love though? 

Just the thought of Barret is enough to get him to blush these days, let alone a mention. 

«He, uh, said he loves me.»

«When?» Tifa prods as she pulls away from cuddling to look him in the eyes. 

«Couple of months ago. I haven't said it back and he's not pressuring me or anything to say it back. When I asked him about it, he said I'd know when I got there.» Cloud mutters, feeling self-concious. «Is that not okay?» 

«It's fine, Cloud. He's right, you'll know. If that's not right now, you're perfectly alright.» She reassures.

**Author's Note:**

> Comment, complain, ect.


End file.
